Prosperous future for Broome as Shire Council adopt 2022-23 Budget

Published on 06 July 2022

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Shire of Broome Councillors adopted the 2022-23 Budget at a Special Meeting of Council on Tuesday evening, with several exciting projects committed to over the next 12 months.

The annual Budget is a roadmap of where Shire funds will be utilised over the next year, guaranteeing consistent direction that aligns with our Corporate Business Plan 2021-2025 and Strategic Community Plan 2021-2031.

While exercising caution in a challenging economic climate, external factors including recent increases to CPI and interest rates, utility and insurance premiums have been balanced with rates income to ensure consistent service delivery to the Broome community.

The Shire has carefully selected priorities for the 2022-23 financial year, with the organisation’s Strategic Community Plan providing guidance.

Along with the services that Broome residents come to expect, the Council has committed to fund a number of capital projects.

Highlights include:

  • $1.05 million for Stewart Street road upgrades
  • $780,331 funding for Port Drive - Guy Street intersection upgrades
  • $7.54 million for Stage 1 of the Cable Beach Foreshore Redevelopment
  • $6.37 million to establish a Community Recycling Centre
  • $467,500 to undertake a detailed design and tender package for BRAC’s Dry Side Upgrades.

Shire of Broome president Harold Tracey said Councillors had adopted a balanced Budget that would deliver critical capital and special projects in 2022-23.

“The Shire of Broome exists to provide, facilitate and advocate for services and facilities to improve quality of life for everyone in Broome - the adopted 2022-23 Budget reflects this,” he said.

“Preparation for the Budget is given the upmost significance and every fine detail is put under the microscope.

“We understand there is a balance to meet the Broome community’s expectations, while delivering excellent governance, service and value, to everybody.

“Officers are continually focusing on leveraging Council funds to attract significant grant funding, which has made recent redevelopments in Town Beach and Chinatown come to fruition. Similarly, we have successfully secured $9.8M of Federal funding towards the Cable Beach Foreshore Redevelopment Project.

“A 4 per cent increase in this year’s rates is modest in comparison to other local governments around Western Australia – especially given that Shire of Broome rates have remained at 2 per cent or under for the last five years.

“The requirement to increase rates by a higher percentage this year is to offset CPI increases over that period.

“The purpose of levying rates is to meet Council's budget requirements to meet local community needs in each financial year, to ensure a stable plan forward – to provide a future for everyone.”

To read the full budget, click here(PDF, 735KB) .

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